Quick-disconnect coupling



Nov. 18, 1958 G. R. ISAAC, JR 2,860,909

QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING Filed Feb. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

George R Asa ac Jr Afforney Nov. 18, 1958 GE ISAAC, JR

QUICK-DISCONNECT COUPLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Geo rqa R /s0/0c Jr Afforne Filed Feb. 28, 1955 United States PatfifO QUICK-DISCUNNECT COUPLING George R. Isaac, Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application February 28, 1955, Serial No. 490,969

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-102) This invention provides a quick-disconnect coupling that has demonstrated a rather wide field of utility. While it has been developed primarily as a weight-carrying electrical connector, its mechanical features have demonstrated several non-electrical applications in which the primary concern is merely the quick and easy engagement and removal of an engaged load from the unit.

In the preferred form of the invention, a hook-shaped portion is formed integrally with a guideway extending opposite the open side of the hook. A locking member in the form of a tapered bar is slideably received in a guideway, the taper being in a dimension such that sliding movement of the locking bar alters the dimension from the surface of the locking bar to the hook. Thus a rod or other similarly-shaped member may be placed in engagement with the hook when the tapered locking member is slid in a direction such that its narrowest end is opposite the hook portion. Subsequent sliding of the locking bar in a direction to bring the thicker portions of the bar opposite the hook will result in locking the engaged member in position. When theunit is constructed of copper or some other highly conductive alloy, it has been found extremely useful in suspending plating racks from the current-carrying work bars, and also has performed satisfactorily in securing the anode bars in position. When the weight of the bar or the work-carrying racks is attached to the slideable locking bar, this weight serves to maintain the unit in tight engagment with the member received within the hook.

An extremely useful feature of this device is the ease with which it may be released from a tight clamping engagement with the member from which it is suspended. The tapered locking bar bears tangentially against this member, and rotation of the entire unit in an appropriate direction (such as would take place if the suspended anode bar or the plating rack were rocked slightly aboutthe axis of the supporting member) would tend to slide the locking bar with respect to the guideway and thus release the jamming action. The unit may then be easily picked up and removed, particularly if the lifting action is first applied to an upper projection of the locking bar beyond the hook member. Under these circumstances, the locking bar with its suspended weight moves upwardly as lift is applied, with the hook member sliding downward until sufficient clearance is present due to the tapered area of the locking bar to permit the hook to pull free of the engaged member. Preferably, an arrangement is also provided for the insertion of a tool to permit the application of leverage to induce a disconnecting movement of the locking bar with respect to the hook and guideway.

In addition to its applicability to the field of currentcarrying couplings, the unit has been found useful in forming a self-locking derrick hook, and also a camoperated conveyor coupling. In the latter instance, the hook and guideway unit may be fixed with respect to the moving chain or belt of a conveyor, with suitably disposed fixed cams positioned to engage a portion of the locking bar during the movement of the conveyor. A

workpiece may be manually provide a release of the load at desired locations.

trated in the accompanying drawings.

are used to couple members to the conveyor. g

Figure 3 is an enlarged section of thejform of the-in-u vention illustrated'in Figure 1.

ure 3.

Figure 5 presents an exteriorelevation from a plane parallel to that of Figure 4. a Figure 6 is an elevation ofa modifiedform of the in-Iz vention usable as a derrick hook.

Referring to Figure 1 a plating tank is indicated at 10 which contains a solution 11 to which parts carriedin 1 trays 12 are exposed. The trays 12 are supported on a rack 13 suspended from a bar 14 by the coupling member indicated generally at 15 Similar coupling members 16 7 and 17 suspend the anode bars 18 and 19 from the currentcarrying rods 20 and 21, respectively. Removal of the I members carried by these couplings is facilitated by a-. rocking movement as indicated at- 22 such as will induce. upward movement of the-locking bar 23 with respect to.

the hook-guideway portion 24. The conveyor nnit gen-.-.

erally indicated at 25 forms no part of this invention.

Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the active components of the illustrated form of the device may be considered as including a hook-portion 26 formed integrallywithwax. guideway portion 27. A locking bar 28 is slideably re- 1 ceived within this guideway, and is tapered in a dimension such that sliding movement of the bar with respect tow:

the guideway hasthe effect of reducing the distance'between the surface 29 of the locking bar and the hook portion 26. When the :locking bar is in the upward, position with respect to the hook portion 26, suflicient r clearance will exist between the hook and'the surface 29 to admit a supporting membera'30, as indicated in'dotted After proper'engagement, downward movement of the locking bar with respectto the hook member'willresult in locking the member 30 firmly within the grasp lines.

of the hook 26. When the deviceis used as shownin Figure 1, the locking bar is provided with a lowerextension 31 secured to a load 32 such as the plating rack Rotation of the assembly in a direction indicated bythe arrow 33 (similar totli'e arrow 22 in Figure 1) will result in applying the frictional forces existing between the surface 29 and the member 30 in a direction to move the locking bar to releasing position with respect to the hook. When the unit is fully engaged, the forces involved between the hook, the locking bar, and the engaged member establish a firm contact for the conduction of electrical current with minimum resistance. If desired, an aperture 34 may be provided at the upper end of the locking bar 28 for the purpose of providing a point for the insertion of a pry bar to applyleverage between the upper surface 35 of the hook-guideway member and the locking bar to induce disengagement.

Referring to Figure 6, a modified form of the present invention is shown in which an extension 36 of the lock ing bar is formed with a clamp 37 for engagement with a cable 38. The lower portion of the locking bar 39 is formed with a rather sharply tapered area defined by the Patented Nov. 18, 1958 placed inengagement with :i' the hook portion, with the forces of gravity loweringthe. locking bar to create the necessary jamming action. The cams may be brought to bear against the locking bar to Figure 4 is a section taken on the plane 4'4 otFigaccommodate the load member 42 between the surface 43. of the locking bar (parallel to its guideway) and the inside surface of the hook, without creating a jamming action. In this modification, the locking bar merely blocks the exit of the member .42 from the hook. When the surface 40. is moved to the dotted line position asa resulflof the relative sliding movement of the locking bar 39. with respect to. the hook portion 41, the load can be removed. In naval parlance, this sort of an arrangement is referred to as a moused book. When load is applied, the member 42 naturally moves toward thebottom area of the hook and establishes the tendency for. the hookmember to move downwardly with respect to the locking bar 39. Suchmovement is resisted by the engagement of the point 44 of the hook with the surface 40.

Asia the othermodific-ations of the invention, the preferred form of; the guidewayincludes a back area 45 against which sliding takes place, an aperture 46 formed to receive the lower end of the locking bar, and a collar 41'surrounding the upper end of the locking bar. It is interesting to note that when a load carried by the member 42 is deposited on a support-ingsurface, the continued downward movement of the cable 38 will bring themember 42 into engagementwith the upper portion of the hook in the relationship shown in Figure 6. Such upward thrust will tend to move the hook-guideway unit upwardly along the locking barand to thereby permit the escape of the member 42.

Referring toFigure 2, the coupling members generally indicated at 48; and 49 are suspended from roller units 50 and: 51, respectively, which ride along a conveyor rail 52. The hook-guideway units 53 and 54- are mounted on the chain 55-; and the. locking bars 56 and 57 are actuated by a fixed cam 58- which engages the undercomprising: a hook member having an opening formed to partially 1 receive saidrodg member; means forming a guideway'extendingopposite said' opening and fixedwith respectto said hookmember; and a locking member slideably received in said guideway witha surface thereof opposite said; opening, said; locking member varying v in the dimension parallel to the shortesrdistance of' said surface from saidguideway, whereby sliding movement of said-locking member along said guideway alters the distance from said surface to saidhook member, said locking member having an aperture disposed exteriorly of said hook and guideway when said locking member is in locking position, said locking member having a portion disposed to bear against said rod member to clamp the same against said hook portion; and means for suspending a load from said locking member.

2. In combination with a rod member, a coupling, comprising: a hook member having an opening formed to partially receive said rod member; means forming a guideway extending opposite said opening and fixed with respect to said hook member; and a locking member slideably received in said guideway with a surface thereof opposite said opening, said locking member varying in the dimension parallel to the shortest distance of said surface from said guideway, whereby sliding movement of said locking member along said guideway alters the distance from said surface to said hook member, said hook member being formed to engage a portion of said locking member to limit the sliding movement thereof in locking direction, said locking member having a portion disposed to bear against said rod member to clamp the same against said hook portion; and means for suspending a loadfrom, said locking member.

3; In combination with a rod member, a coupling, comprising: ahook member having an opening; means forming a guideway extending opposite said opening and fixed. with respect to said hook member; and a locking member slideably received in said guideway with a surface thereof opposite said opening, said locking member beingtapered in the dimension parallel to the shortest distance of said surface from said guideway, whereby sliding movement of said locking member along said guideway' alters the distance from said surface to said hook member, saidlocking member having a portion disposed to bear against said rod member to clamp the same against said hook portion; and means for suspending a load'from said locking member.

4. In combination with a rod member, a coupling, comprising: a hook member having an opening; means forming a guideway extending opposite said opening and fixed with respect to said hook member; and a locking member. slideably received in said guideway with a surface thereof opposite said opening, said locking memher-varying in the dimension parallel to the shortest distance of said surface from said guideway, whereby sliding movement of said locking member along said guideway alters the distance from said surface to said hook member, said locking member having a portion disposed to bearagainst said rodmember to clamp the same against-said; hook portion; and means for suspending; a load from said locking member.

References Cited in the file-of-this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,890 Hanson Oct. 5, 1880 1,100,552 Galloway June 16, 1914 1,443,853 Stephens Jan. 30, 1923 1,474,692 Thurau Nov. 20, 1923 

